Welcome!

to the NEW Three Cavemen and a Lady ~ My Personal Blog

You’re gonna get the whole (low glycemic) enchilada here. Basically, the world according to me, Lisa … If you’re visiting here looking for my Paleo, Low Carb & Gluten Free recipes … they have been relocated to a new address … www.SugarFreeGoddess.com

And while your at it, connect with me on social media, the buttons are to your right… Not to brag BUT I have the most stunning Pinterest Boards…really!

You can’t get them to go to bed at night, and you can’t get them to get up in the morning. Kids, who’d have them? But we do, and we love them. Isn’t it nice when they have finally settled down for the night? It is a time that all parents look forward to, a time when they can do whatever they want without having to be round the clock carers and entertainers. Don’t waste it watching TV, there are far more exciting things to do, if you are stuck for ideas then here are some suggestions about what you can do online.

Shopping Online

One thing that makes the web as great as it has become is that you can shop online 24/7. The days when we could be accused of being shopaholics are now well gone, scientists have proven that a little retail therapy is one of the best things we can do to make us feel good. We are not suggesting that you should spend the family budget buying, but if you can afford it treat yourself to something special, after all you deserve it.

Gambling Online

Another activity the web has opened up is online gambling at a site like www.luckynuggetcasino.com/online-slots. While retail therapy can make us happy, online gambling can really get the adrenaline pumping and is one of the most thrilling things that we can do online. It isn’t necessary to spend a lot of money, just set a little money aside and play with that. If you have never played roulette or baccarat, why not try them out? You can even indulge yourself in a little bingo.

Learning Online

The web has also opened up huge numbers of learning opportunities. Whether you want to study for a formal degree, or simply improve your French or Spanish, you can do it online. Just a few hours a day will have you speaking a foreign language fluently in time for your next holiday overseas.

Every now and then you meet someone who is memorable. A few years back I stumbled across Frank DiCocco’s work on the internet. Raising two sons, I was instantly impressed with his message so I subscribed to his weekly email. When I heard the news of his passing I was beyond surprised… when I learned that he was a young man I was shocked!

Frank’s wisdom was way beyond his years. It is my honor to share with you an article about Frank and his work while on this earth. It’s my way of spreading his message and keeping his memory alive…

A coach is defined as a person who trains an individual or a team to excel athletically. However, Coach Frank D.B. DiCocco was so much more than that. DiCocco saw the need to help develop his players into men of substance, men of principle, men of honor, and men of will. DiCocco didn’t coach for the paycheck, nor did he coach just because he loved the sport of football. DiCocco coached to help develop men of character.

DiCocco graduated from Avon Old Farms School in Connecticut in 2002 and attended Boston College, where he graduated in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and a minor in General Education. Before he passed away in late April, DiCocco was working towards a master’s degree in Physical Education & Athletic Administration from Winthrop University. However, his passion was always helping others through the sport of football, the game he loved so much.

While at Boston College, DiCocco began his coaching career at the Fessenden School in West Newton, Massachusetts, but he didn’t stop there. DiCocco’s career includes stops at some of the nation’s most prestigious schools and prominent athletic programs, including Godby High School (Tallahassee, FL), Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School (Cambridge, MA), Dwyer High School (Palm Beach Gardens, FL), Stillman College (Tuscaloosa, AL), South Pointe High School (Rock Hill, SC), Paul VI Catholic High School (Fairfax, VA), Avon Old Farms School (Avon, CT), and he was recently hired as head football coach at Westminster Catawba Christian High School (Rock Hill, SC) for the 2013 season. In addition to his resume full of coaching careers, DiCocco is also a published author, having written several books on the subject of positive youth development. His most well known work is the groundbreaking book, Playbook for Manhood: A Game Plan for Being a REAL Man.

While coaching at schools around the country, DiCocco noticed a reoccurring theme, underprivileged and at-risk youth, and he was compelled to help. DiCocco would often take his athletes out to dinner or buy them clothes and groceries because he noticed they were not getting the proper care at home. While he had no problem continuing to help his athletes in this way, he knew something needed to be done in order for our nation’s youth to excel past high school and to be able to live the life that we all so richly deserve.

In 2009, DiCocco founded REAL Man Inc., a not-for-profit initiative to provide young men, and anyone in a position to influence them, with the guidance and resources to help them develop into men of substance, men of principle, men of honor, and men of will. DiCocco’s idea was to help these boys to become REAL men: men who Respect all people, Especially women; men who Always do the right thing, and men who Live a life that matters. This idea was based off of DiCocco’s book. The mission of the REAL Man idea was “not only to educate and spread a valuable message, but to have people receive that message and to incorporate it into the fabric of who they are.” DiCocco also created an educational website, RealManInc.org, to help spread this message.

In 2011, DiCocco created The REAL Man Program, a unique and comprehensive character-education curriculum centered on his book, designed specifically for young men. This program was developed for and implemented by the National Football League’s Youth Impact Program, which was founded by former professional football player Riki Ellison to work with at-risk inner city students in partnership with college and professional football teams. The program was designed for middle school, high school and college-aged males and has been utilized by athletic programs, schools and youth-development organizations across the country.

Also in 2011, DiCocco founded The H.O.P.E. (Helping Other People Excel) Foundation for a Better Tomorrow, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, based off of his REAL Man ideas. The Foundation strives to help underprivileged student athletes to demonstrate exemplary character, passionate vision and enthusiastic ambition, a commitment to both academic and intellectual excellence, dedication to community service, and a desire to become personally and professionally successful. DiCocco donated over 6,000 copies of his program to athletic programs used for character-development of student athletes across the country. Since his passing in late April, the foundation has been carried out by his family to help keep his legacy alive. DiCocco’s ultimate goal was to get his “REAL Man” message into the hands of every football coach in America, and eventually into the hearts and minds of every man in this world.

“I believe in building people; I believe in molding men. Sport—and specifically, the sport of football—provides perhaps the single greatest vehicle by which to impart the lessons that will enable its participants to succeed in every aspect of their lives. Thus, I do not coach merely to be involved with athletics, nor do I coach solely to win games and to build championship teams. Building championship football teams is important, but building championship people is even more important.

I coach to create champions in the game of life—people who will be equipped and empowered to win more than just football games on Friday nights, but to achieve victories in the classroom, in the community, in personal relationships and career paths, and in society as a whole. My mission is to build men of character, men of values, men of purpose, and men of honor. My aim is to help shape the lives of others in a positive and meaningful way: a way that inspires individuals to help create a better and more hopeful world for us all,” –Coach Frank D.B. DiCocco.

While DiCocco is no longer with us, his message lives on through all of the players he has coached and all of the lives he has touched. We will leave you with a few of DiCocco’s most memorable words, “Take care, be blessed, and be a blessing to others.”

In an effort to spread the word about Diabetes Awareness Month, the American Recall Center reached out to me and several other bloggers asking us to help get the word out about the health dangers of eating too much sugar. I immediately said YES! To read the full piece click here.

Most people spend months preparing for their vacation. The idea is to look as good as possible for the bathing suits, shorts, and dresses. If you have been watching what you eat, working out, and shedding those excess pounds to look good, you are more than likely ready for your thrilling vacation. However, once you begin your journey, it is important to remember how hard you worked to get in shape and to keep that determination even when you are being tempted with snacks and junk food on your vacation.

Prepare For Temptation Immediately

As soon as you step foot in the airport, you will end up dealing with temptation. There are plenty of fast food restaurants at most of the airports. On the airplane, there are snacks and carbonated beverages offered. To avoid the temptation, make sure you eat before you go to the airport. If you feel full, you will not feel as tempted to grab a bite to eat at any of the fast food joints. You should also carry healthy snacks with you for the flight. The best snacks to bring along with you are nuts, trail mix, dried fruit, and anything you enjoy that is also low in calories.

Choose Your Hotel Carefully

When you are choosing a hotel to book, it is important to choose a hotel that offers accommodations and amenities that are convenient for you. Most hotels have a fitness center with treadmills and other workout equipment. It is good to choose a hotel that has a fitness center so that you can still get a bit of exercise in your daily routine. Even an hour or half an hour a day would help you to burn off calories and keep up with your fitness. If the hotel has a swimming pool, you can also get your exercise by doing a few laps in the water. Stopping at a local grocery store to buy healthy snacks, such as fruits and vegetables, is also a good idea. Most hotels have a fridge in the hotel room where you can keep your food items cold and fresh. Often times it is difficult to tell before hand whether a hotel has the appropriate amenities. I have found a little due diligence to go a long way in this regard. I was searching the internet for a recent vacation and found a great site that listed reviews for Las Vegas hotels ranging from the amenities offered, to the restaurants in the area. This made it easier than ever to ensure I maintained my healthy lifestyle while away.

Choosing the Right Foods

While on vacation, you are most likely going to eat dinner or lunch at a few different restaurants in the area. It does not hurt to eat a restaurant but it is important to know which foods are best for your diet and which foods you should avoid. If there are restaurants with salad bars, you can always have a healthy and tasty salad without all the excess calories. Try to choose baked or grilled options instead of anything that has been fried. There are certain words on a menu that are immediate red flags. Some of those words include loaded, smothered, and fried. If you see those words on the menu, avoid choosing that dish. Some restaurants provide information on the number of calories in each dish, which gives you a better idea of what you should choose too.

With just a little bit of willpower, you can easily stick with your diet and fitness routine even while enjoying your vacation. If you do slip up with eating something that is not necessarily the best for you, you can always spend time working out at the hotel fitness center or swimming in the pool to burn those calories.

About The Author: Cole Millen is an avid traveler and foodie who never forgets that life’s best memories are made through real life apprehension of legitimate “experiences.”

About a month ago, I was approached by artist Sofia Dabalsa about a project she was putting together called The Goddess Chronicles. I was immediately excited and was totally stoked to participate in such an inspiring and empowering project for girls. I created two pages for the book using watercolor, markers, appliques, photos and of course – crystals and bling! I could tell you all about The Goddess Chronicles, but I’d much rather let Sofia tell you in her own words. Here they are…

The Goddess Chroniclesby Sofia Dabalsa

The Goddess Chronicles was born out of a deep desire to create something collaborative with other women around the world. Since finding my tribe, I have felt the shift within me as an artist and as a woman towards embracing the divine feminine within. My spirit has awakened and I live now to be more receptive, authentic, and to honor my creativity.

The Goddess Chronicles is an intention to hold the highest vision of all women through expressive and artistic creations. There is a change that is stirring in the souls of women around the world more than ever! I would like to document a small piece of this evolution for younger generations of goddesses. My hope is that The Goddess Chronicles will help girls and women alike recognize the profound love within to expand their creativity and cultivate living an authentic and happy life!

The Goddess Chronicles started in the United States but quickly became an international collaboration! Initially there was to be one traveling art journal. I soon realized that logistically it would not be possible. In just two days The Goddess Chronicles reached over 30 participants. The response has been just absolutely AMAZING! This tells me that many people around the world are craving to collaborate and create!

I just simply could not turn away those hearts that deeply resonated with this idea! At final count I am working with 62 participants and 13 traveling journals. Readers will find artwork from participants all over the globe. The Goddess Chronicles spans from coast to coast of the United States, and is in Canada, Colombia, Puerto Rico, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Australia and Israel! If you would like to follow along where The Goddess Chronicles is currently in its journey around the globe you can find updates at sofiadabalsa.blogspot.com

The theme of this traveling art journal is Goddess Chronicles that inspire young and old; girls and women with messages from the heart to DREAM BIG.

Participants have free reign to create their masterpiece. They can use collage, watercolors, pencils, crayons, stickers, stamps, pockets, fold-outs, cut-outs or all of the above! Pages can be done alone or can be done with a partner. Participants have agreed to complete one or two pages within a two-week time frame and mail to the next participant.

When the book is full, it will be mailed back to the point of origination with Sofia. At this point the book will be professionally photographed. I will be making photo books for all who want to own this special piece of art. The energy surrounding this project is intense, I believe that The Goddess Chronicles will sell in volumes! Part of the proceeds of every book sold will go to Girls Inc. in San Antonio, TX a non-profit organization established to empower young girls!

The original Goddess Chronicles traveling book will be donated to empower young girls at Girls Inc. in San Antonio, TX for years to come! My hope is that each time a young girl sits to view The Goddess Chronicles it will inspire them to reach for their dreams!

Short Bio: I am an artist everyday and for me the creative path is following my spirit. I imagine myself walking along a dark forest like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz; I’m a bit scared but I know I’ve got brains, heart and courage coming along with me. My spirit illuminates the yellow-bricked road of creation and each time I decide to pay close attention to my spirit, I brighten up.

Have you ever eaten Baccalà? Do you even KNOW what Baccalà is? Well, if you look at Urban Dictionary, it says that Baccalà is a smelly vagina….OOH FAH – YUK … WTF – that thought makes me gag and totally not hungry. It insulting too. I’m in protest of that reference!!! Ever wonder why vaginas the brunt of many negative, false and silly references? I think its because they scare weak men but that’s a whole other blog post!

In reality, Baccalà is salted cod and was once very common in Italy because it allowed those who lived far from the coast to enjoy fish on the days the Church required it … and at other times too because it was tasty and inexpensive.

Serving Baccalà on Christmas Eve is an old Italian tradition. I love tradition and I love my Italian heritage, so I found myself in a quandary… should I attempt this recipe that apparently is likened to a “stinky vagina” or should I skip it?

My caveman Mike really enjoys it when I prepare traditional Italian food since it reminds him of his grandmother (Grandma Rosati) and I love my heritage and I love tradition …

Hmmmmm … what to do …. well, I decided to make the Baccalà! I wasn’t able to make it on Christmas Eve this past year but I did make it the first weekend in January. HEY – better late than never!

Here are my tips to ensure that you have a delicious meal and not a stinky vagina (oops – I mean) mess ! Look for slabs that are at least one inch thick, white with a slight yellow tint and make sure that the pieces don’t appear too dry. Generally, the rule of thumb is to soak the Baccalà in water (in your fridge) for three days BUT I soaked it for five days changing the water every day. If you soak it for five days the finished dish will NOT taste fishy or stink, that’s my secret! My mom told me to soak it in milk which I didn’t try because I find my method works brilliantly. I’m thinking that the next time I prepare this recipe I’m going to add some lemon juice to the soaking water and see how that comes out!

Baccalà tends to be in the markets during the winter months so that’s when we’ll eat it because we eat seasonally in our home. If you food shop you’ve probably walked right by it … its a white, rock solid slab of dried up fish covered in salt and its usually hanging out by the seafood section. I used Carbquick instead of flour in this recipe because it has less carbs and I’ve found that a deep fryer makes preparing a dish like this a snap and the finished fish is less heavy with oil.

If you ask me the photo below of the freshly fried pieces of Baccalà looks extremely appetizing.

Directions:

Place the Baccalà in a large bowl and pour in enough water to cover by 2 inches. Set aside in a cool place, or in the refrigerator, and soak for 5 days, changing the water daily (I use purified water from my water distiller).

Remove the fish from the water, rinse and let sit in a bowl to dry off a bit.

Heat oil in a large fry pan (I use a deep fryer – soooo much easier) until hot but not smoking approximately. 375 degrees F. Note: It is crucial that the oil be hot enough or the Baccalà will be heavy and oily (yuk!).

Mix the Carbquick (flour) with pepper in a large plate. Cut the Baccalà into 3″ x 4″ sized pieces put in Carbquick mixture, turning to coat each side completely.

Fry in the hot oil until golden, 3 to 4 minutes on each side, turning to cook all sides (if your deep frying like me – disregard turning pieces).

Transfer to a large plate lined with white paper towels and set aside for 10 minutes to drain the excess oil.

Serve with lemon wedges and mangia!

For more scrumptious, traditional Italian recipes check out this cookbook. I use it ALL the time, it’s fabu!

A couple of weeks ago I was interviewed by my friend, colleague and fellow Co-Author Shann Vander Leek, Creatrix of Transformation Goddess for her interview series Divine Feminine Spotlight. I was so excited when Shann approached me for the interview because

I NEVER tire of speaking about the Goddess or Divine Feminine Energy.

When Shann and I get together it’s always a good time…a really good time filled with lots of laughing!

Laughter is the best medicine so I try to laugh each and every day. Sadly, some days are just not that fun and most people don’t crack me up… so when I get an opportunity to spend some time with the peeps that tickle my finicky funny bone, I’m all in!

The interview went off perfectly, we had a blast. Shann had asked me to send her some questions for the interview but I asked her to surprise me. Yup, I’m tend to be a maverick by nature… I thought the interview would be more authentic if I wasn’t prepared in my answers. I was stumped a couple of times by Shann’s introspective questions, it took me a couple of minutes to think and process!

I hope you take a few minutes to listen to our interview. Its available on iTunes too!

Shann and I were co-authors on the International Best-Selling book Embracing Your Authentic Self.As you know I am passionate about inspiring women to live a healthy, happy and fully authentic life.That’s why I was honored to be a one of the 26 extraordinary women selected to appear in the inspiring bookEmbracing Your Authentic Self: Women’s Intimate Stories of Self-Discovery and Transformation.Published by Inspired Living Publishing, the leader in women’s inspirational publishing Embracing Your Authentic Self chronicles an unforgettable compilation of intimate and inspirational stories from women from around the world. Each inspirational story is followed by a journaling prompt page featuring three thought-provoking questions to help the reader delve deeper into the insights and lessons contained in the chapter narrative.This is truly an inspiring bookand I recommend it to any woman who is on a spiritual or personal growth journey.I have a handful of copies left, so to order a personalized and signed copy click here. It makes a great and inexpensive gift too!

I had a wonderful (and busy) weekend preparing and celebrating my daughter Chelsea’s 23rd birthday. I created my usual too much food – Goddess Feast for our family… the menu I chose for this feast consisted of a delicious Italian antipasto salad to start … then homemade Stracciatella soup … followed by braciole and assorted meats in tomato sauce …eggplant rollatini … and Dreamfields (low carb) pasta.

Dessert was a party cannoli with chocolate cups filled with nutella and whipped cream. Chelsea got a personal sized red velvet cake (her personal favorite) too. Whoof, you can imagine how full we were after this meal!!!!!

My youngest child, Nate asked me why we were making such a fuss… why we didn’t just use paper plates and plastic utensils as we were setting a formal table. My answer was swift, because its one of my core values, sacred tradition.

Oh yes, it would have been waaay easier to order food from a catering place and eat off of paper and plastic but that would have devalued the sanctity of tradition and the beauty of formality. When I cook a meal for my family, especially for a birthday or holiday, I infuse the food and the day with all my love and devotion.

I don’t know if you noticed too …but there’s a global trend occurring, people are becoming more and more lax. Formality is flying out the window. Sacred Tradition is becoming extinct. I think about why that is often… perhaps its because most women are so busy and wearing so many hats each and every day. Something’s got to give, right? For me, my children’s birthdays are NOT a day I’ll skimp on. For me, it’s not about the price tag; it’s about the effort and the devotion. What about you?

Here’s some photos that I’ve have collected over the last few years of my beautiful daughter and me that really embody our relationship…

Mother and daughter love can be so special if you continuously cultivate it, have forgiveness and allow it to bloom the way its meant to without any expectations…

No matter if we disagree or argue, we always come back to playing together… it’s in our souls…

My daughter Chelsea is my first born and will always be the first true love of my life…

Happy 23rd Birthday my beautiful baby girl!

I would love to hear your thoughts about Sacred Tradition ; how do you celebrate them and which days/holidays are your personal favorites?

Lisa mentors women around the globe on how to ACTIVATE their Inner Aphrodite, develop an empowered Goddess Mindset, nurture their Sacred Vessel (body), and how to stop tolerating the intolerable in their lives. Sounds juicy? Oh hell yes, it is!